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Fundamental properties of elliptical galaxies
The global properties of elliptical galaxies, such as luminosity,radius, projected velocity dispersion, projected luminosity, etc., forma two-dimensional family. This 'fundamental plane' of ellipticalgalaxies can be defined in observable terms by the velocity dispersionand mean surface brightness. Its thickness is given by the presentmeasurement error bars, and there are no significant indications ofnonlinearity or higher dimensionality. This is indicative of a strongregularity in the process of galaxy formation. The equations of theplane can be used as new, substantially improved distance indicators forelliptical galaxies. However, all morphological parameters whichdescribe the shape of the light distribution (ellipticity, elippticitygradient, isophotal twist rate, slope of the surface brightness profile)and reflect dynamical anisotropies of stars are completely independentof this fundamental plane. Thus, the elliptical galaxies are actually a'2 + N' parameter family. The M/L ratios correlate only with thevelocity dispersions and show a small intrinsic scatter, perhaps onlyabout 30 percent, in a luminosity range spanning some four orders ofmagnitude; this suggests a constant fraction of the dark mattercontribution in elliptical galaxies.
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